by DD Sow

Created on: November 28, 2008

SINCE WHEN WAS PAKISTAN IN THE PICTURE?

Ever since the recent shootings in Mumbai began there has been a silent look of suspicion towards Pakistan. Why? The attackers have yet to be identified as Muslims let alone Pakistanis. There has been little or no news about the roots of the terrorists that have brought the financial capital of India to a halt, its also unclear what the terrorists wanted in return after taking Western hostages. So why is Pakistan in the picture?

It is true that the Indian Navy has seized two Pakistani merchant ships and is investigating the possibility that they dropped off the militants who then came ashore in fast boats but until that is confirmed no finger-pointing should begin as India-Pakistan has had peaceful relations and even greater diplomatic cooperation since 2004. The media and the political establishment have been quick to lay blame to its neighbor, the most absurd of all these allegations also are linked to the discovery of a trawler, found abandoned off the Indian coastline on Thursday with its captain dead, there is already suspicion the trawler may have arrived via Karachi yet no confirmation has been determined.

At present Pakistan Ambassadors and leadership has given their full co-operation should the moment arrive that India request an investigation but where is the basis of such roots? And what if these are Indian grown extremists operating without overseas support then who would India point its finger to?

Now it is true that from 1980 onwards, the Pakistan Army and the ISI have contributed overwhelmingly at the Jihadist movement in Kashmir harnessing a generation of terrorists that defy India's administration in Kashmir but this is Mumbai and not Kashmir. Even a symbolic attack in Mumbai by no means creates an advantage for the Independence movement, more so it damages it.

With the new civilian administration in Pakistan of Asif Ali Zardari since 1999 Pakistan has its own problems with terrorists so why would a new administration even want to get itself embroiled by its neighbor at a time when it is developing its own credibility? Then there is the proclamation of the new ISI chief Lt. General Pasha that his agency will no longer involve itself in domestic politics let alone International politics. Both the Army and the ISI are determined to fight off the insurgency that Pakistan is facing at present in Waziristan, Balochistan and North West Frontier Province, so with its hand ties in wrestling its own insurgents why now focus on India?

Its understandable that Pakistan has had its involvement in terrorist activities in Indian administered Kashmir and the attack on the Parliament in 2002 but it has been six years since and four years since diplomatic relations have come at a all time high. Strategically, its not viable for Pakistan to be involved in another conflict at a time when it is dealing with its own domestic agenda of developing its own security and harming India, specially now at a time of much needed aid for Pakistan and any such attack does not accomplish any goal.

So the real question is why has the media and the political establishment looking at Pakistan? May be the message from the present Indian goverment is put your own house in order or we'll do it for you?

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